Carl Lawson | Defensive End

Latest News

Recent News

Lawson (6’2/261) turned pro as a redshirt junior after making 20 starts, tallying 14 sacks with 24 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. Lawson rebounded from an injury-plagued start to his career to earn first-team All-SEC from the conference’s coaches in 2016. Lawson showed above-average athleticism in Indy, testing with 65th-percentile SPARQ and 4.67 speed. On tape, Lawson demonstrates a diverse pass-rush repertoire with an outside rip, power, speed, and spins. He also popped an inside rusher. Lawson has all the tools to develop into a high-end No. 2 pass rusher or low-end No. 1 with first-year-impact potential. It's believed Lawson slipped much further than expected in the draft due to concerns about his shoulders. Apr 29 - 12:44 PM

"Wake has never really been a dominant player against the run, but has consistently been one of the league’s top pass-rushers since entering the league in 2009," the PFF analysis team notes. Of the 6-foot-2, 261-pound Lawson, they believe that his "lack of consistency and overall production against the run is something of a concern...but his talent as a pass-rusher is impossible to deny. In the very least." Apr 20 - 9:07 PM

"Lawson's twitch shows up in short, controlled bursts, but he struggles to finish if the play isn't right in front of him," Zierlein wrote. "Lawson's ruffneck demeanor will appeal to teams looking for an aggressive edge-setter along a physical front, but his draft grade could vary quite a bit from team to team." Lawson doesn't have the flexibility and bend that many teams prefer out of their edge players, and he's struggled with injuries in the past, but he holds the line with power and comes at you with aggression and speed. Lawson is a scheme-specific player, and for that reason it's difficult to predict where he'll land next week. Apr 19 - 3:37 PM

On Wednesday it was announced that Lawson would be able to attend the Senior Bowl, but a separate announcement on Thursday explained that since Lawson did not graduate in December (which was the initial plan), he is not eligible to play. Lawson could have claimed the top edge rushing spot among attendees. This, obviously, does not take away from his talent. Jan 12 - 11:39 AM

Player News

"Wake has never really been a dominant player against the run, but has consistently been one of the league’s top pass-rushers since entering the league in 2009," the PFF analysis team notes. Of the 6-foot-2, 261-pound Lawson, they believe that his "lack of consistency and overall production against the run is something of a concern...but his talent as a pass-rusher is impossible to deny. In the very least."

"Lawson's twitch shows up in short, controlled bursts, but he struggles to finish if the play isn't right in front of him," Zierlein wrote. "Lawson's ruffneck demeanor will appeal to teams looking for an aggressive edge-setter along a physical front, but his draft grade could vary quite a bit from team to team." Lawson doesn't have the flexibility and bend that many teams prefer out of their edge players, and he's struggled with injuries in the past, but he holds the line with power and comes at you with aggression and speed. Lawson is a scheme-specific player, and for that reason it's difficult to predict where he'll land next week.

On Wednesday it was announced that Lawson would be able to attend the Senior Bowl, but a separate announcement on Thursday explained that since Lawson did not graduate in December (which was the initial plan), he is not eligible to play. Lawson could have claimed the top edge rushing spot among attendees. This, obviously, does not take away from his talent.

This was expected, as Lawson went through Senior Day activities in November. Lawson put his health issues from the past few years behind him to post 30 tackles, 13.5 TFL, nine sacks and 24 quarterback hurries in 2016. In a deep edge rushing class, he's projected to go somewhere between the late first round and early second round.

We didn't need Lawson going through Senior Day to know he is destined for the upcoming draft, as Lawson flirted with leaving last year. He battled injuries for the previous two seasons, but when fully healthy Lawson is one of the most complete edge rushers in this class. He can when with power and explosion.

Should Auburn redshirt junior edge rusher Carl Lawson record 2.5 sacks before the close of the season, he will set the single-season school record.

Lawson is closing in on Nick Fairley's record of 11.5 sacks. The 6-foot-2, 261-pounder is currently sitting on 9.5 sacks. "Carl has been one of our top players," said HC Gus Malzahn on Tuesday, "one of the best players in college football and he stayed healthy this year and has just been a big-time impact player. So, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he accomplishes that [sack record]." For the season as a whole, Lawson has recorded 25 tackles (13.0 for loss), the aforementioned 9.5 sacks and a forced fumble over 10 games played. Lawson will have contests against Alabama A&M, Alabama and yet-to-be-determined bowl game to notch those 2.5 sacks to jump him over Fairley.

Pro Football Focus notes that over Auburn's past three games, redshirt junior edge rusher Carl Lawson is averaging a sack, hit or hurry every 4.9 times he rushes the passer.

In that three-game space, Auburn is surrendering a shade over 15 points on average. Ole Miss managed to post 29 against them on Saturday, but in their two previous contests, the Tigers held Arkansas and Mississippi State to a combined 17 points. No surprise that the defense has locked down as the 6-foot-2, 261-pound Lawson has gotten hot. For the season as a whole, the redshirt junior edge rusher has recorded 18 tackles (9.0 for loss) and 7.5 sacks. The best part of Lawson's 2016 season has nothing to do with his stats, though. After being sidelined by a torn ACL in 2014 and a hip injury in 2015, Lawson has not missed a game this season.

Auburn redshirt junior edge rusher produced five quarterback hurries and a sack in the school's win over LSU.

LSU was in position to convert a game winning score with the ball on the 14-yard line on 2nd & 10. Lawson had a different plan, bringing down the opposing quarterback for a six yard sack. If you've followed this site for any amount of time, you know we are big fans of Lawson's game. The NFL will be too, if the medicals check out.

Auburn redshirt junior edge rusher Carl Lawson said that he has changed the way that he works out this offseason.

Lawson has been waylaid by a torn ACL (2014) and a balky hip (2015) during his career. He is hoping for a fully healthy 2016 and said that in order to facilitate that, he has changed the way he exercises. "I’ve gotten bigger, faster, stronger from resting," he said, later adding that "[r]esting, plus taking your workout seriously, is way more effective than just burning your body out." The 6-foot-2, 261-pounder said that rather than simply lift and run at every opportunity, he now occupies his weekends with stretching, yoga and the like. A complete 2016 campaign would do wonders to shore up his draft stock.

Auburn redshirt junior edge rusher Carl Lawson did not make Lance Zierlein's top 10 prospects at the position.

"I just need to see him do something. He's more of an urban legend than a guy you can count on to make plays at this point," the NFL.com writer tweeted. Zierlein's reasoning makes sense, as Lawson dealt with major injuries in both 2014 and 2015. However, we would make the argument that Lawson had the talent to be the No. 2 edge rusher in the 2016 NFL Draft if he elected to declare. That did not happen, as Lawson is set to return to college for one more season. More than sacks, Lawson likely needs to prove he can stay on the field. When in the lineup, Lawson impacts an offense on the edge and inside.

An SEC defensive coach told ESPN that Auburn redshirt junior edge rusher Carl Lawson is a "difference-maker on third down."

Lawson was beset by a hip injury last season and played in just seven games. The coach called his healthy return a "serious" help for the Tigers. "If you can get people to third-and-long, he can win," he said. "You have to put two people on him. With those other guys freed up, they can wind up winning." The 6-foot-2, 261-pounder ranks as Mel Kiper Jr.'s No. 22 overall prospect for next spring's draft, though that initial Big Board figures to change, perhaps radically, as the 2016 season unfolds.

Rang describes Lawson as "[p]ossessing a compact, powerful frame and an explosive burst off the edge." The 6-foot-2, 261-pound redshirt junior lands as the No. 9 underclassman prospect for 2017 on the analyst's early rundown. A healthy 2016 campaign is a must for Lawson, as he missed the 2014 season with a torn ACL and was plagued by a hip injury which limited him to seven games in 2015.

"This is a big season for Lawson, who was working his way back from injury in 2015," Kiper wrote. "The pass-rush potential is there, but so far, he's better at pushing with power and controlling the blocker." We're higher on Lawson than he is. Rotoworld's Josh Norris slotted Lawson to the Buccaneers at No. 4 in an early 2017 mock draft. Norris believes Lawson could have been the first or second edge rusher selected in the 2016 NFL Draft had he entered.

Rotoworld's Josh Norris believes Auburn redshirt junior edge rusher Carl Lawson may have been the first or second EDGE selected in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Lawson elected to return to Auburn for a fourth season. It's very likely to be his last, assuming he can remain healthy. Norris slotted Lawson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 4 in an early 2017 mock draft.